Phoenix is the twelfth and final issue of Slave Labor Graphics' Gargoyles.
Summary[]
The last chapter of "Clan-Building", and, for now, of the revived "Gargoyles". We open, appropriately, with Goliath seated on the battlements of modern-day Castle Wyvern, in his "Rodin's Thinker" pose, brooding over the misfortunes of his kind.
In 997, Brooklyn is still caught in the middle of the battle between Constantine III and Kenneth III - which is about to become worse now that Brother Valmont has seized the Grimorum and is ready to betray his former employer. (He is aware, like the Archmage, that the Grimorum is one of three magical objects needed to gain ultimate power.)
As the battle rages, we see many of the familiar combatants, some of whom we are only meeting now, others whom we had met in the series. Bodhe (only a young boy at this point) is already as timid as his future self in "City of Stone". Demona is ready to turn on her human allies, for being humans, when she is finished with Constantine. Mail Brigti confronts his half-brother Findlaech, eaten up with envy of his happier fortune. And Gillecomgain displays his own ruthlessness - especially as Constantine cries out that it is the night of the Hunter's Moon.
But the fighting takes an even darker turn as Brother Valmont uses the Grimorum to summon up a hail of arrows from the heavens to strike the combatants on both sides. The losses from this barrage are effectively presented; we see the grief of Demona's Second as his mate perishes, and the horror of Mary and Finella as their faithful horse is also slain by the arrows. Brooklyn seizes the Grimorum from Valmont by chopping off his hand and gets it to Demona, who is able to call off the arrows with a counter-spell - but, she admits that while she can banish the arrows, those slain by them will remain dead.
Kenneth slays Constantine but not before Constantine shrewdly predicts Maol Chalvim's later treachery against him and the battle is over. But Brooklyn must now recover the Grimorum from Demona. When the Phoenix Gate returns Brooklyn in frustrated at the Phoenix's coming for him before he can learn how things turned out is well-depicted, he tricks Demona out of the book, and then escapes with Mary and Finella into another time...
Brooklyn and Demona fight Constantine's forces.
Back in the present, Goliath is greeted by the newly-returned Hudson, Lexington, Coldstone, and Coldfire. He is delighted to see his old rookery brother and sister back again - but even more astounded when Brooklyn shows up, with new company - only not the company one would expect. After spending forty years being bounced about the time-stream by the Phoenix, he's back, with a family: his mate Katana, their son Nashville (or Gnash, as he likes to call himself), a gargoyle beast named Fu-Dog, and an egg named at present Egwardo. He's changed noticeably, including an eye-patch as well as various weaponry from different ages.
Elisa dashes into the middle of the reunion with news that Jackal, Hyena, and Wolf are on the rampage again - and stops, astonished at all the new arrivals. But the gargoyles all head off with her to Times Square to face the Pack. On the last page, the clan is seen heading into battle, with the gargoyles' plight is not as hopeless as it had once seemed.
Notes[]
- Phoenix is the final issue under the first License between Gargoyles and SLG comics.
- Phoenix is the final issue of Gargoyles by Slave Labor.
- Phoenix was not released individually, it was released in Clan-Building: Volume Two.
Trivia[]
- The cover is an homage to the old Star Wars movie posters.
Memorable Quotes[]
None avalible.
Episode Guide[]
